Featureshttp://www.guitarworld.com/taxonomy/term/5/all/%22/athttp%3A/www.examiner.com/music-industry-in-national/alison-richter
enThe DIY Musician: Daddy Mojo Dolorosa Review — a Six-String Time Machinehttp://www.guitarworld.com/diy-musician-daddy-mojo-dolorosa-review-six-string-time-machine/25147
<!--paging_filter--><p>A good guitar will play the notes you’re looking for. A great guitar will inspire new music. But an iconic guitar will transport you to another place, time or universe.</p>
<p>The Daddy Mojo Dolorosa guitar is iconic.</p>
<p>Daddy Mojo is a one-man guitar company run by Lenny Robert in Montreal, Canada. Originally inspired by homemade cigar box guitars, Robert has taken the primitive art and turned it into museum quality instruments. His six-string Dolorosa is the top-of-the-line model in his cigar box-inspired guitars.</p>
<p> Grasp the "hard V"-shaped neck and you’re transported to the 1930s, smoking a fine Cuban in the veranda and playing swooning ballads. Daddy Mojo completely nailed the feel of a vintage parlor guitar neck. Add to that a period-correct flat fretboard. Placed in your hands, the guitar immediately beckons for pre-war jazz or slide blues. (Warning: This is not a string bender’s guitar. The flat fretboard is fitting for fingerpicking, slide or jazz chords.)</p>
<p>One unique feature is the neck-thru construction, with the maple neck running the length of the body and coming out the back. This allows the neck to act as the body’s bracing and also a tailpiece for the strings. As someone who has played a Dolorosa for more than seven years, I can attest to the rock solid construction. Mine has taken more abuse than a PETA member at a Ted Nugent concert.</p>
<p>Of course, there’s the big and beautiful body, which is shaped like an oversized cigar box. A skeptic would nonchalantly throw out Bo Diddley’s name when seeing the rectangle, but the truth is, this git-fiddle could have been made by Diddley’s grand-daddy. The vintage feel of the body oozes into your chest as you hold it.</p>
<p>Indeed, the body was special ordered from a Dominican Republic cigar box factory, but at 9-by-12.5-by-2 inches, it’s much larger than your average stogie holder. Constructed of 1/4-inch ply, the hollow body makes it resonant and sturdy. It’s surprisingly comfortable on the lap with your arm resting on the top. </p>
<p>Daddy Mojo uses a floating bridge constructed of a rosewood base and bone saddle. I found mine to be a bit high when I first got it, but some gentle filing of the saddle from the bottom fixed it right up.</p>
<p>A screen-printed Victorian sacred heart motif graces the front and factory-stamped Daddy Mojo logos on the side add a cool extra detail. Florentine F-holes and a nitro cellulose finish complete the look.</p>
<p>Here’s a taste of its tones, performed by the builder, Lenny Robert:</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i0fyTOOTV2A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><Strong>Tones and performance:</strong> If the "hard V" neck inspires pre-war blues and jazz, the mini humbucker in the bridge adds another element to the sonic gumbo. It’s warm, yet snarling with a touch of country honk. In terms of slide, the Dolorosa sings in a tone somewhere between Ry Cooder and Hound Dog Taylor. When plugged into my Musicvox MVX-15 tube amp, the Dolorosa comes alive when I add a healthy dose of reverb. Throw in some tremolo and you’re walking with Pops Staples' ghost.</p>
<p>My only complaint on the pickup is that it’s non-adjustable. In sticking with a vintage style, Daddy Mojo permanently attaches the mini humbucker to the neck-thru section. This is just a small complaint, though because I’ve always been able to find a good tone.</p>
<p>Most guitar reviews allow for the writer to test-drive the guitar for a couple of weeks and report back, but I have performed with a Daddy Mojo Dolorosa in almost every show since I first got mine in 2008. It has been transported in flimsy gig bags, fallen off stands and survived my heavy-handed abuse. This guitar is damn-near indestructible. </p>
<p>Because of its beauty, the guitar also is one of the most frequently photographed instruments in my arsenal. People just go ape-shit when I strap it on. Most importantly, notes just jump out of this thing when I play. This is one of my favorite guitars—ever.</p>
<p>The Daddy Mojo Dolorosa retails for $895 at select specialty guitar dealers or direct from <a href="http://www.daddy-mojo.com/">daddy-mojo.com.</a></p>
<p>…And just for fun, here’s Jack White playing a Daddy Mojo Stove Pipe model (the dual-pickup sister to the Dolorosa).</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3EmGoIq0M9I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><em>Shane Speal is the "King of the Cigar Box Guitar" and the creator of the modern cigar box guitar movement. Hear the music, see the instruments and read about his Cigar Box Guitar Museum at <a href="http://www.shanespeal.com/">ShaneSpeal.com</a>. Speal's latest album, </em><a href="http://shanespeal.com/holler">Holler!</a><em> is on C.B. Gitty Records.</em></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/diy-musician-daddy-mojo-dolorosa-review-six-string-time-machine/25147#commentsCigar Box GuitarsDaddy MojoShane SpealThe DIY MusicianElectric GuitarsBlogsFeaturesGearFri, 31 Jul 2015 21:35:56 +0000Shane Speal25147 at http://www.guitarworld.comMass Effect: The Top 50 Stomp Boxes, Devices and Processors of All Timehttp://www.guitarworld.com/mass-effect-top-50-stomp-boxes-devices-and-processors-all-time
<!--paging_filter--><p>Has any piece of musical equipment proliferated more, or more rapidly, than the humble electric guitar effect unit? </p>
<p>Though there is no official tally, suffice it to say that thousands of stomp boxes, effect devices and processors have been created for the electric guitar over the past 60 years (and that’s not including rackmount effects). Conceivably, more than half of those devices are distortion, fuzz and overdrive effects.</p>
<p>So how did we come up with a list of the top 50 electric guitar effects of all time? Actually, it was easy, as most of these stomp boxes and devices turn up in the pages of this magazine on a regular basis every time we ask artists what they use in the studio and onstage.</p>
<p>Other effects got the nod for being the first of their kind (like the DeArmond Tremolo Control, which dates back to the Forties and was the first optional effect device) while a few passed muster for being undeniably cool or influential — even if they’re so rare that it will cost you a few thousand bucks to score one on eBay.</p>
<p>Popularity also was a critical factor in our choices, although we generally passed over a few best-selling reissues or boutique clones in favor of the real deal. So even though the Bubba Bob Buttcrack Tube Overdrive may sound more soulful than an original Tube Screamer, if it’s little more than a copy with slightly upgraded components, it didn’t make the cut. </p>
<p>If you love effects like we do, we hope you'll find this top-50 list a useful guide to discovering the classic effect boxes that have shaped the guitar sounds of rock, metal, blues, punk and many other styles. And if you're like us, it will undoubtedly compel you to plunk down a chunk of cash for a collectible pedal or two on eBay. Don't say you weren't warned.</p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/mass-effect-top-50-stomp-boxes-devices-and-processors-all-time#comments2011ArticlesBossGW ArchiveIbanezJuly 2011RolandGuitar World ListsEffectsJulyNewsFeaturesGearMagazineFri, 31 Jul 2015 14:31:30 +0000Chris Gill17196 at http://www.guitarworld.comFingerpicking Beatles: Learn Solo Guitar Arrangements for 30 Beatles Songshttp://www.guitarworld.com/fingerpicking-beatles-learn-solo-guitar-arrangements-30-beatles-songs
<!--paging_filter--><p><em><a href="http://guitarworld.myshopify.com/products/fingerpicking-beatles-revised-expanded-edition/?&amp;utm_source=gw_homepage&amp;utm_medium=daily_scroller&amp;utm_campaign=FingerpickingBeatles">Fingerpicking Beatles: Revised &amp; Expanded Edition</a></em> features 30 Beatles songs arranged for solo guitar in standard notation and tab. </p>
<p>The arrangements in this book are carefully written for intermediate-level guitarists. Each solo combines melody and harmony in one superb fingerpicking arrangement. The book also includes an easy introduction to basic fingerstyle guitar. </p>
<p>The 30 songs include "Across the Universe," "All You Need Is Love," "Can't Buy Me Love," "Hey Jude," "In My Life," "Let It Be," "Michelle," "The Long and Winding Road," "Something," "Yellow Submarine," "Yesterday" and more.</p>
<p><a href="http://guitarworld.myshopify.com/products/fingerpicking-beatles-revised-expanded-edition/?&amp;utm_source=gw_homepage&amp;utm_medium=daily_scroller&amp;utm_campaign=FingerpickingBeatles">The book is available now for $19.99 at the Guitar World Online Store.</a></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ms65JQTBCcQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/beatles">The Beatles</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/fingerpicking-beatles-learn-solo-guitar-arrangements-30-beatles-songs#commentsThe BeatlesNewsFeaturesFri, 31 Jul 2015 14:29:34 +0000Guitar World Staff17202 at http://www.guitarworld.comSynth City: 10 Classic Guitar Synth Songshttp://www.guitarworld.com/synth-city-10-classic-guitar-synth-songs
<!--paging_filter--><p>Here's an ode to a piece of gadgetry rarely heralded on GuitarWorld.com, something that has brought a whole new world of sounds to guitarists' fingertips: the guitar synthesizer, aka the guitar synth.</p>
<p>A guitar synth is a synth module whose input device is a guitar instead of a keyboard. To quote Norm Leet from Roland's UK website, "The most important part of a guitar synth system is the divided—or hexaphonic—pickup, which allows each string to be treated individually and for the attached synth to be able to detect finger vibrato and string bending." </p>
<p>At first these systems were farily sizable, taking up so much space that they had to be housed in specially designed guitars that were part of the entire synth system. Today's synth systems, however, are tiny things that can fit into pretty much any guitar.</p>
<p>Modern systems send the pitch information as MIDI to allow you to control external modules or keyboards. This also means that pitch information can be recorded by a MIDI sequencer. </p>
<p>Countless artists have dipped their toes into the world of guitar synths—everyone from Eric Clapton to Steve Hackett to Eric Johnson and Jeff Loomis—and some players made it a massive part of their sound, including Pat Metheny, Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew. Carlos Alomar even recorded an entire album for synth guitar—1990's <em>Dream Generator</em>. </p>
<p>Here are 10 classic songs that feature guitar synths. They demonstrate at least some of the many dreamy, bizarre sounds (or "soundscapes," as some people like to say in this context), these devices can create.</p>
<p>10. <strong>"Stranger In a Strange Land," Iron Maiden, <em>Somewhere in Time</em>, 1986</strong></p>
<p>After completing a masterful trilogy of albums with 1984's <em>Powerslave</em>, Iron Maiden took a turn for the progressive, unleashing a barrage of synth guitars on their listeners with their sixth studio album, <em>Somewhere in Time</em>. </p>
<p>Easing their fans into the idea, the album's first single, "Wasted Years," was the only track on the album to feature no synthesizers at all. Its follow-up, "Stranger in a Strange Land"—the tale of an Arctic explorer frozen and lost in time—featured Adrian Smith and Dave Murray's guitars processed through synth effects, giving their dual guitar attack a distinctive larger-than-life chorus sound.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ry42FHfz67A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
09. <strong>"Never Make You Cry," Eric Clapton, <em>Behind the Sun</em>, 1985</strong></p>
<p>By the mid-'80s, the guitar synth was officially a bandwagon, and even ol' Slowhand himself, Eric Clapton, hopped on—if only briefly.</p>
<p>Clapton used a Roland guitar synth to record "Never Make You Cry" from his successful 1985 album, <em>Behind the Sun</em>, which was co-produced by Phil Collins of Genesis (a major guitar synth band, especially during the <em>Duke</em> tour). </p>
<p>It's only fitting that Clapton experimented with cutting-edge technology on <em>Behind the Sun</em>, the album that kicked off a period of slick commercial releases by the venerable guitarist, including 1986's <em>August</em> and 1989's <em>Journeyman</em>. </p>
<p>Before its release, he had been coasting along on a series of rootsy, laidback, Band- and J.J. Cale-inspired albums, from 1974's <em>461 Ocean Boulevard</em> to 1983's <em>Money and Cigarettes</em>.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/E8nC6e4OI4w" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
08. <strong>"Are You Going With Me?," Pat Metheny, <em>Offramp</em>, 1982</strong></p>
<p>Over the decades, guitarist Pat Matheny has become closely associated with Roland guitar synths—especially the GR-300. But it all started with his 1982 album, <em>Offramp</em>, which featured his first documented use of the Roland GR-300.</p>
<p>The album features the samba-based "Are You Going With Me?," which has since become a trademark Metheny song. Its lengthy, trancelike guitar solo is played on the Roland. Check it out below.</p>
<p>Metheny still uses his GR-300, which has since been discontinued by the company.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qY8z1w1JzMs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
07. <strong>"Who's to Blame," Jimmy Page, <em>Death Wish II,</em> 1982</strong></p>
<p>In 1981, former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page was asked to compose and record the <em>Death Wish II</em> soundtrack by his neighbor, director Michael Winner. </p>
<p>It was just what Page needed—an opportunity to start creating music again, now that John Bonham (and with him, Led Zeppelin) was gone.</p>
<p>Page mirrored the film's moodiness and edginess with a slew of new devices, including the Roland GR-505 guitar synth and TR-808 Rhythm Composer. The guitar synth can be heard on the entire soundtrack album, which was recently re-released on JimmyPage.com in a "heavyweight vinyl package." Only 1,000 copies were made.</p>
<p>Page continued experimenting with guitar synths and even appeared in several Roland print advertisements in the early to mid-'80s.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jF8X0t-Fllw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
06. <strong>"Venus Isle," Eric Johnson, <em>Venus Isle</em>, 1996</strong></p>
<p>Texas guitar great Eric Johnson started dabbling with guitar synths in the late '80s, but he didn't seriously record with them until his 1996 album, <em>Venus Isle</em>, an album full of what he calls "extra textures." </p>
<p>Johnson uses a Roland guitar synth to create those textures on several tracks, including "Mountain," "Battle We Have Won," "When the Sun Meets the Sky" and the title track, which you can check out below.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RypgfOTUNRI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
05. <strong>"Discipline," King Crimson, <em>Discipline</em>, 1981</strong></p>
<p>If you were putting together a dream team of guitar synthists, you'd probably want King Crimson's Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew batting third and fourth in your lineup.</p>
<p>The guitarists were among the most proficient guitar synth users of their generation, and Fripp continues to push the boundaries of synthetic sound with his mesmerizing Soundscapes shows.</p>
<p>On King Crimson's <em>Discipline</em> album, Fripp and Belew made great and bountiful use of the Roland GR-300. On later albums, they moved into GR-700 territory.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_-dZNzXylVE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
04. <strong>"Racing in A," Steve Hackett, <em>Please Don't Touch,</em> 1978</strong></p>
<p>The upbeat and catchy "Racing in A" is from Steve Hackett's <em>Please Don't Touch</em> album from 1978. </p>
<p>It was the first solo album he recorded after leaving Genesis and his first album to feature his pioneering work with the Roland GR-500 guitar synth. </p>
<p>"Racing in A" is a five-minute-long progressive-rock masterpiece that glides along for more than a minute with its almost-Yes-like rhythm before the vocals kick in (But Hackett keeps the spotlight squarely on the GR-500). </p>
<p>As is the case with several other selections on this list, be sure to check out the entire <em>Please Don't Touch</em> album for more examples of Hackett's guitar synth work.</p>
<p>By the way, that's Hackett's photo at the top of this page (and all the pages in this story). </p>
<p><strong>NOTE: We've included a cool live performance of "Racing in A," plus (for the purists), the studio version.</strong></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/NDIj1plyU04" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wkxk4IAmWvs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
03. <strong>"Turbo Lover," Judas Priest, <em>Turbo</em>, 1986</strong></p>
<p>"Turbos were all the rage, the in-thing," said Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill of the mid-1980s. "I'd even bought a vacuum cleaner because it had the word 'turbo' on it!"</p>
<p>Perhaps this obsession with the super-charged is what lead the boys in Priest to experiment with guitar synthesizers on their 1986 classic "Turbo Lover." </p>
<p>Taken from the album <em>Turbo</em>—easily among the most divisive albums for diehard fans—the song featured a whole new sonic palette for the band, with guitarists K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton employing guitar synths and anything else they could get their hands on to give the song its distinctive futuristic, sci-fi feel.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DdwuxoSHsSo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
02. <strong>"Don't Stand So Close to Me," The Police, <em>Zenyattà Mondatta</em>, 1980</strong></p>
<p>"Don't Stand So Close to Me," which appeared on The Police's 1980 <em>Zenyattà Mondatta</em> album, features Andy Summers jamming away on an early Roland synth (He had a few models during the band's heyday, including a GR-707).</p>
<p>"After Sting had put the vocals on 'Don't Stand So Close To Me,' we looked for something to lift the middle of the song," Summers said in 1981. "I came up with a guitar synthesizer. It was the first time we'd used it. I felt it worked really well."</p>
<p>"I was sort of known for [guitar synth] then, and I was in a pretty high-profile band," Summer said in a more recent interview for Roland. "I was trying to fill out two hours with a trio, trying to keep it interesting all the way. The Roland synths blended in quite well."</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KNIZofPB8ZM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br /><br />
01. <strong>"Ashes to Ashes," David Bowie, <em>Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)</em>, 1980</strong></p>
<p>It's Hammer time. Guitarist Chuck Hammer is an accomplished player and Emmy-nominated digital film composer who has recorded with Lou Reed, David Bowie and Guitarchitecture, to name just a few. </p>
<p>But Hammer might be best known for his textural guitar synth work on "Ashes to Ashes" from Bowie's <em>Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)</em> album. Hammer used a Roland GR-500 with an Eventide Harmonizer to get the synthetic string sound that can be heard in the video below. He actually used four multi-tracked guitar synths, each one playing opposing chord inversions. Be sure to check out the rest of album, which features a healthy dose of Hammer.</p>
<p><em>Rolling Stone</em> put Hammer in the category of "musical pioneers" along with guys like Robert Fripp and Allan Holdsworth.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YF_ESqYuhSQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/eric-clapton">Eric Clapton</a> </div>
<div class="field-item even">
<a href="/jimmy-page">Jimmy Page</a> </div>
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/iron-maiden">Iron Maiden</a> </div>
<div class="field-item even">
<a href="/judas-priest">Judas Priest</a> </div>
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/eric-johnson">Eric Johnson</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/synth-city-10-classic-guitar-synth-songs#commentsAdrian BelewAndy SummersDavid BowieIron MaidenJudas PriestKing CrimsonRobert FrippRolandThe PoliceGuitar World ListsNewsFeaturesThu, 30 Jul 2015 16:51:10 +0000Damian Fanelli, Josh Hart15794 at http://www.guitarworld.comDear Guitar Hero: Buddy Guy Discusses Muddy Waters, Fender Strats, Touring with The Rolling Stones and Morehttp://www.guitarworld.com/dear-guitar-hero-buddy-guy-discusses-muddy-waters-fender-strats-touring-rolling-stones-and-more
<!--paging_filter--><p><em>He’s been called the greatest living guitarist by Eric Clapton, he’s played with blues legends like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, and his new double album, </em>Rhythm and Blues<em>, is a powerhouse set with guest shots by Aerosmith, Kid Rock, Gary Clark Jr., Beth Hart and Keith Urban. But what </em>Guitar World<em> readers really want to know is....</em></p>
<p><strong>What’s the most important thing you learned from Muddy Waters? — Marc Merriwether</strong></p>
<p>That you should play music for the love of it, not for the money. It’s 57 years since I first arrived in Chicago from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and when I came here I didn’t have the slightest idea that I would be good enough to play guitar with Muddy or even make a record. I was working as a custodian at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. </p>
<p>But I come up to Chicago, and the next thing I know, Muddy was asking me to play. And I found out that the money Muddy was making wasn’t much more than I was making working day jobs at LSU. But here’s Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson…and they were having so much fun just playing. And I learned that they were playing for the love of music, not the love of money. </p>
<p><strong>What are you driving these days? — Butch Teagarden</strong></p>
<p>I’m into classic cars, man. I got a ’55 T-Bird, a ’58 Edsel and all them old cars. I got a lot of what they call “vintage” cars. Eric Clapton can spot one of them a mile away and then asks me how much I want for it. Eric talked me into buying a Ferrari about 20 years ago. </p>
<p>I read that they had caught him driving one in Europe, and I think he was doing 170 miles an hour. The cops couldn’t catch him. They had to tell ’em to stop him in the next town. I asked him about it and he said, “Man, you must get a Ferrari. It sits down.” But that damn thing … You know, when you get to my age, there isn’t a lot of room inside a Ferrari. It’s like a prop plane. Even them big jumbo planes, if you go into the cockpit to see the pilot, he don’t have much room to move around or cross his legs and stuff. And every time I get in a Ferrari, I feel like I’m flying a plane. </p>
<p><strong>Your string bends have always been awesome. What gauge strings do you use? — Paolo Sandoval</strong></p>
<p>I was using very thin strings in the early days, when I made my first record, “Sit and Cry and Sing the Blues,” in 1958. I laugh about it now because they’d break so easily, being so thin. But they were real easy on your fingers. The thing is, I couldn’t always afford new strings when they broke. I’d go play a gig at night and I didn’t have but one string and could not afford another one. So I had to get heavier strings. </p>
<p>Later on guys like Hendrix and Stevie Ray were using the really thick haywire strings, which would cut the tip of your finger if you bent them in the B.B. King style. B.B. King used to put glue on the tips of his fingers to protect the skin and keep them from bleeding. So right now I’m using an 11 for my first string, a 13 to 14 for the second, probably a 16 to 18 for the third. And for the wound strings I think I start around 28 and go up to 35 for the fifth string and maybe 40 for the number-six string. </p>
<p><strong>What was it like opening the Rolling Stones in the Seventies? — Idriss Moussaka</strong></p>
<p>In 1970, me and Junior Wells opened a whole tour for the Rolling Stones throughout Europe. And when you open a show for them, some fans are gonna look up and say, “That’s not the Rolling Stones!” Sometimes the few people there who knew us—two or three maybe—were okay. </p>
<p>But the rest of the 40, 50 or 60 thousand were saying, “Who the hell is this?” A lot of people weren’t ready for me and Junior back then. But I kept saying to myself, “Well, they got us out here. Play a few licks and maybe you’ll sell a few more records next time you make one because somebody saw you with the Rolling Stones.” But it was exciting. And even today I get people right now coming up and saying, “I didn’t know who you was till I saw you on a stage with the Stones.”</p>
<p><strong>How and when did you first know that that Fender Stratocaster was the guitar for you? — Doug Polanski </strong></p>
<p>I saw the late Guitar Slim play when I was still very young. That was the first time I saw a Strat. He had a 100-foot cord coming in the door, playing “I Done Got Old.” And I’m saying, “Is that a guitar? What the hell is that?” Later on, I played with a guy named Big Poppa [Tilley]. He had a little three-piece band, two guitars and drums, and he played a little harmonica. And he bought a Strat for me to play in his band. </p>
<p>That was the first time I got to play one. When I first came to Chicago, I had a Gibson Les Paul, but I was so in love with the Strat. So when the Les Paul got stolen, I got my first Strat, a ’57. One reason why I fell in love with the Strat back then was that acoustics and other guitars weren’t built so solid. If something happened, they could crack easy and all of that. Back then I couldn’t afford a new guitar if something happened to mine. </p>
<p>And I found out the Strat has a steel rod in the neck and it was a solid piece of wood, so if you drop it you might scratch it, but you couldn’t hurt it. That’s what made me fall in love with it. Plus, Leo Fender had that tone and that sound on it, man. So I got hooked with that experience. </p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KRihhTQik2k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><strong>How did you like recording “Messin’ with the Kid” with Kid Rock on your new album? — Peter Brown </strong></p>
<p>We had a great time. “Messin’ with the Kid” was the biggest record by my late musical partner, Junior Wells. And I always said, “You know, I’m waitin’ on Kid Rock to do this song.” He laughed when I told him, and said, “Man, I’ll come in and do it. I never thought of that.” I told him, “I beat you to it.” Kid Rock and I go back a long way. He’s into the deep blues. </p>
<p>He was there when they honored me at the Kennedy Center awards at the White House last year. He said, “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Every musician you know of, even some of the hip-hoppers, are into some of the things we did way back then. </p>
<p><strong>What is the real origin of the polka dots on your Strat? — Mia Sanderson</strong></p>
<p>Well, I’m the oldest boy in my family. There were five of us: three boys and two girls. And when I left Louisiana for Chicago 57 years ago, my mother had a stroke and didn’t want me to go. She wasn’t even able to walk or talk right anymore, but she got to where she could understand a few things and I could understand her. </p>
<p>And I wanted to make her feel good, so I say, “Well, I’m gonna go to Chicago and make more money than I’m making here, and I’m gonna be sending you money back and you’ll see how well I’m doing. I’m gonna drive back down to you in a polka-dot Cadillac.” I knew I was lying to her. And when she passed away in 1968, I said to myself, “You lied to your mama and never got a chance to tell her you were lying.” That bothered me. </p>
<p>And one day I said to myself, “You know what? I’m gonna see if Fender will make me a polka-dot Strat.” At first they said they couldn’t do it, but then they hired a guy who said, ‘We can do it.’ They made me one or two, and then they tried it out at the NAMM show. </p>
<p>They made 100 or 200, just to see what would happen, and they let me know the 200 were gone before they even got there. These days, I think I own about seven or eight of them. But I got some sons and grandsons come up to see me now. And sometimes I open up a case after they leave and the guitar is gone!</p>
<p><strong>“Poison Ivy” is a track you originally cut for Vanguard Records in 1968. What made you want to revisit it on <em>Rhythm and Blues</em>? — Mike Mulcahy</strong></p>
<p>Did I record it before? I don’t remember that. I know I would sing it in person. But I wanted to do it on my new album to honor the late Willie Mabon, who had a hit on Chess Records with “Poison Ivy” [in 1954]. When we got in the studio we were doing mostly new songs, but I wanted to honor a few people like Willie Mabon, Junior Wells and Guitar Slim by doing some of their songs. </p>
<p><strong>What do you think of the new young generation of blues guitarists? — Bob Andres</strong></p>
<p>I think they’re great. Gary Clark Jr., he’s a young man who plays on my new album. I’m really pulling for him, because it takes young people to keep the blues alive. Like another young guy I’m promoting—Quinn Sullivan. When I first met him, he was seven and he was playing as well as Eric Clapton, me, B.B. King or Jeff Beck or any of those guys. </p>
<p>How did he learn all that at seven years old? Here I’m 77 and I still haven’t found some of those notes! He just turned 14 and we got a CD coming out on him soon. You know, we don’t get much airplay on the blues anymore, for some strange reason, until some young kid come along. That’s what happened with the British guys, like the Stones and Clapton. They opened the door. And Stevie Ray and all of them. Youth is the one to keep the blues going. That’s what makes the world go ’round, and that is what we need for the blues. I know it would put a big smile on Muddy’s face.</p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/buddy-guy">Buddy Guy</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/dear-guitar-hero-buddy-guy-discusses-muddy-waters-fender-strats-touring-rolling-stones-and-more#commentsBuddy GuyDear Guitar HeroGW ArchiveOctober 2013InterviewsNewsFeaturesMagazineThu, 30 Jul 2015 15:57:33 +0000Alan di Perna19129 at http://www.guitarworld.comTab Book: Learn to Play Andy McKee's 'Art of Motion' Albumhttp://www.guitarworld.com/tab-book-learn-play-andy-mckees-art-motion-album
<!--paging_filter--><p>The tab book — <em>Andy McKee: </em>Art of Motion — is available now at the Guitar World Online Store.</p>
<p>The book features a dozen tracks from the 2005 album by this acclaimed folk fingerstyle guitarist in standard notation and tab, including: </p>
<p>• Art of Motion<br />
• Drifting<br />
• For My Father<br />
• Heather's Song<br />
• Into the Ocean<br />
• Keys to the Hovercar<br />
• Rylynn<br />
• Shanghai </p>
<p>... and more!</p>
<p><strong>This 112-page book is <a href="<a href="http://guitarworld.myshopify.com/products/andy-mckee-art-of-motion/?&amp;utm_source=gw_homepage&amp;utm_medium=daily_scroller&amp;utm_campaign=ArtofMotion">available now at the Guitar World Online Store for $22.99.</a></strong></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/gWC9s3hH-cw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/tab-book-learn-play-andy-mckees-art-motion-album#commentsAndy McKeeNewsFeaturesThu, 30 Jul 2015 15:56:38 +0000Guitar World Staff20812 at http://www.guitarworld.comJoshua Moore and Lou Cotton of We Came As Romans Talk Gear, New Albumhttp://www.guitarworld.com/joshua-moore-and-lou-cotton-we-came-romans-talk-gear-perfectionsim-their-new-album/25125
<!--paging_filter--><p>Troy, Michigan’s We Came As Romans have always been described as melodic metalcore, but never has the metal been as strong as on their new self-titled Equal Vision Records release. Nor, for that matter, has the metalcore. For album number four the six-piece has honed both extremes of their sound, holding their songwriting to incredibly strict standards in order to push their melodic sense without sacrificing the brutality, aggression and energy. </p>
<p>To push into this slightly more rock direction the band worked with producer David Bendeth, who has previously produced or mixed Crossfaith, Breaking Benjamin, Asking Alexandria, and Paramore, to name a few. The veteran producer brought a strict sense of quality control to the sessions. </p>
<p>“We started with 15 songs going in that Louie [Cotton, guitarist] and I had written and when we went in for pre-production they all ended up cut,” lead guitarist Joshua Moore says. “David said ‘All of these are mediocre. You’re just writing these to be good enough, not to test your limits!’ It gave us a swift kick in the ass so we started all over again.” </p>
<p>From there the band rewrote the entire album, and even some of the rewrites ended up being cut. Ultimately a list of about 40 songs was culled down to 10 songs for a tight 33 minutes 33 seconds. </p>
<p>Moore and Cotton complement work as a guitar team, each staking out their own sonic territory but with respect to the other’s sound too. Orange Amplification takes care of backline duties, with Moore plugging into a Dual Dark 100 head and Cotton using a Rockerverb. “Those heads give us the clean tone for all our melodic, pretty parts but also the heavy parts as well.”</p>
<p>Lou Cotton plays ESP Eclipse models with EMG 81 and 85 active humbuckers. Cotton admits to having a sizeable collection of ESPs. “Because I play a lot of the rhythm stuff I just feel the EMGs are perfectly balanced for that kind of stuff,” he says. </p>
<p>Meanwhile Moore uses Ibanez FR models, including two Prestige instruments and two from the L.A. Custom Shop, loaded with Bare Knuckle Aftermath passive humbuckers or Seymour Duncan JB and ’59s. “I used to play active pickups as well but as we started writing cleaner guitar parts I liked the response and warmth of passives so I switched,” Moore says.</p>
<p>“We did this thing way back in the day which was a horrible idea: we wrote in every tuning possible!” continues Moore. “So when we were headlining we had guitars in four different tunings each! As long as nothing goes wrong it’s okay but when you have 12 different wireless frequencies for each member, and wireless microphones and wireless in-ears, sometimes there’s that one show where you get a radio station coming through your amp!”</p>
<p>Moore’s choice of Ibanez guitars was initially inspired by August Burns Red’s JB Brubaker. “I got an RGA Prestige when I was 18, he says. “We were unsigned and still a local band and we’d played a few shows opening up for August Burns Red. I ended up buying an Ibanez back in the day because JB had one! I literally just searched for the model he used and I bought that exact one. I thought, If I buy his guitar I’ll be really good and then our band will be signed and we’ll go somewhere! I told JB that story once when I was a little intoxicated and full of courage and he just laughed.”</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GLjUVQw5R0k" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/joshua-moore-and-lou-cotton-we-came-romans-talk-gear-perfectionsim-their-new-album/25125#commentsJoshua MooreLou CottonSeptember 2015We Came As RomansInterviewsNewsFeaturesMagazineWed, 29 Jul 2015 18:05:58 +0000Peter Hodgson25125 at http://www.guitarworld.comGuitarist Steve Brown Talks New Trixter Album, 'Human Era’http://www.guitarworld.com/guitarist-steve-brown-talks-new-trixter-album-human-era/25121
<!--paging_filter--><p>Hard rock band Trixter’s mantra has always been being the best band they can be. It’s a formula for success that has reaped rewards for the New Jersey-based band for more than 30 years.</p>
<p>Trixter’s new album, <em>Human Era,</em> continues that trend with another infectious blend of rock and riffs. </p>
<p>Whether it’s the inspired performing on the opening track, “Rockin’ to the Edge of the Night,” a song that started out as a leftover from the first Trixter album, the shuffle feel of “Midnight in Your Eyes” or the album’s title track which discusses the band’s history, <em>Human Era</em> is an inspired collection of songs from one of the genre’s finest bands.</p>
<p>Guitarist Steve Brown has been with Trixter since the beginning. In addition to being a principal songwriter and producer for the band, which also consists of Pete Loran (vocals), P.J. Farley (bass) and Mark “Gus” Scott (drums), Brown has used his guitar and vocal prowess to fill in for Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell during his recent treatments.</p>
<p><em>Guitar World</em> recently spoke with Brown about the new Trixter album, his time performing with Def Leppard, gear and more! </p>
<p><strong>GUITAR WORLD: How would you describe <em>Human Era</em>?</strong></p>
<p>I think it’s Trixter at its best. The most important thing for us is that we’re doing the best music of our career. We take a lot of pride in that and as musicians, each of us is at our best. Plus we have Pete Loran, who has one of the best rock voices out there. Collectively, the band is better than ever. </p>
<p><strong>What’s the songwriting process like for Trixter?</strong></p>
<p>There are a lot of different avenues. “Rockin’ to the Edge of the Night” is a great story because that song was actually an old one that we reworked. It was originally one of the leftovers from our very first album that for some reason never made it. That was a song that was a gem with the right parts but just needed to be reworked.</p>
<p><strong>How about the track, “Midnight in Your Eyes”?</strong></p>
<p>I love the heavy, shuffle groove of that track. We’ve always had that side to us. It definitely has that “Def Leppard / Mutt Lange” inspired feel to it.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xpN4RP3JZlk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><strong>What can you tell me about the title track, “Human Era”?</strong></p>
<p>That was the last song we wrote for the record. What’s cool is that where “Edge of the Night” is our oldest song, the album ends with our newest one - the title track. P.J. brought the concept in. Lyrically, it talks about our history. We’ve been through a lot together as a band for more than thirty years but we’re still brothers. The whole record has a lot of positive, human-based messages and about how every second counts. </p>
<p><strong>It’s now been 25 years since the band’s first album. A time when music was just getting its first taste of grunge. What thoughts come to mind when you think back to those days?</strong></p>
<p>All I can say is, “Wow!” We always hear stories about how great it would have been if we had come out a few years earlier and how we might have been as big as some of the other bands of our genre. But we were just so grateful to be a part of it and get on the wave. Sure, it would have been nice if we came out earlier but we enjoyed every minute of it to the fullest. </p>
<p>We were out on some amazing tours. At the time, you don’t really know what’s happening but now more than ever we appreciate every moment. We were just doing what we did as kids and every year it just kept building. The fact that people still come out to see us today because of what we built back then really means something. </p>
<p><strong>Speaking of Def Leppard, you’ve recently filled in for Vivian Campbell for a few dates. What was that experience like?</strong></p>
<p>It was an absolute honor. Those guys have been friends of mine for 27 years. Vivian is a good friend who has always been a hero of mine. Every time I'm with him he always tells me some really cool Dio stories. During my stint with them I learned so much about how they make records and do live vocals. It was amazing.</p>
<p><strong>Did you always know that you wanted a career in music?</strong></p>
<p>I was born into an athletic family and played sports growing up. I started playing guitar when I was eight and as time went on, I started becoming more and more obsessed. I remember seeing the original KISS line-up in 1979 at Madison Square Garden on The Dynasty tour and then saw the original Van Halen there too. After those shows, I knew exactly what I wanted to do!</p>
<p><strong>What’s your live setup like these days?</strong></p>
<p>Right now I’m using EVH 5150 half stacks with Digitech and Rocktron effects along with AKG wirelesses. For guitars, I’m using EVH Wolfgangs and a D'Anngelico EX-SD. I also have a DBZ Korina Flying V that I used on the Leppard Tour. </p>
<p><strong>Of all the highlights of your career are there any that stand out to you as most memorable?</strong></p>
<p>The obvious one is the first time we played our hometown arena – The Meadowlands. We played there on the Scorpions tour and got our gold records that night. To have our family and friends be there when we were presented with our records was unbelievable. </p>
<p>But I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I’ve been able to do things that most people just dream of and am still doing it. </p>
<p><strong>What excites you the most about <em>Human Era</em>?</strong></p>
<p>What always excites me is when the record is done. You always go through all of these emotions whenever you make a record but the best part is when the record is finally complete. That’s when you put it in you car, listen to it and go “Man, this is really fucking good!” Doing our best work so many years into it…that’s what I’m most proud of.</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nZHEjqMtV_0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><em>James Wood is a writer, musician and self-proclaimed metalhead who maintains his own website, <a href="http://gojimmygo.net/">GoJimmyGo.net</a>. His articles and interviews are written on a variety of topics with passion and humor. You can follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/JimEWood">Twitter @JimEWood.</a></em></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/guitarist-steve-brown-talks-new-trixter-album-human-era/25121#commentsJames WoodSteve BrownTrixterInterviewsNewsFeaturesWed, 29 Jul 2015 16:38:25 +0000James Wood25121 at http://www.guitarworld.comGuitarist Chris Feener Shreds His Way Through Darius Rucker's "Wagon Wheel" — Videohttp://www.guitarworld.com/chris-feener-shreds-his-way-through-darius-ruckers-wagon-wheel-video/25119
<!--paging_filter--><p><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/my-guitar-chris-feener-stays-committed-to-his-guitars-1.2741892">Guitarist Chris Feener</a> posted this video earlier this month with the caption, "I finally learned how to play 'Wagon Wheel'."</p>
<p>Check out this one-minute-plus clip that finds Feener shredding his way through a tune made popular by Darius Rucker in 2013 (although it's been around for many years and is credited to Bob Dylan and Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show).</p>
<p>Don't take it too seriously; it's meant to be funny. Enjoy!</p>
<div id="fb-root"></div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script><div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="/ChrisFeener/videos/vb.734060367/10155760021590368/?type=1">
<div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/ChrisFeener/videos/10155760021590368/"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChrisFeener/videos/10155760021590368/"></a>
<p>I finally learned how to play Wagon Wheel. &lt;3</p>
<p>Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChrisFeener">Chris Feener</a> on Tuesday, July 7, 2015</p></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hvKyBcCDOB4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/chris-feener-shreds-his-way-through-darius-ruckers-wagon-wheel-video/25119#commentsChris FeenerDarius RuckerVideosNewsFeaturesWed, 29 Jul 2015 15:53:12 +0000Damian Fanelli25119 at http://www.guitarworld.comGeorge Harrison, Eric Clapton and Ringo Starr Reunite to Play The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" in 1987 — Videohttp://www.guitarworld.com/george-harrison-and-eric-clapton-play-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps-1987-video/25111
<!--paging_filter--><p>As any rock fan knows, the Beatles never got back together.</p>
<p>What you might not know is that even partial Beatles reunions and "near misses" were frustratingly rare back when such things mattered (prior to George Harrison's death in 2001).</p>
<p>Which is why the video below is so enjoyable.</p>
<p>On June 5, 1987, three of the five original musicians who appeared on the classic Beatles White Album track "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" reunited to perform the song live at the <a href="http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/">Prince's Trust</a> Rock Gala at London's Wembley Arena.</p>
<p>George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton were joined by an all-star U.K. band, including Elton John, Phil Collins, Jeff Lynne, Ray Cooper and ... well, if you're wondering who that understandably happy bassist is, it's Mark King of <a href="http://www.level42.com/">Level 42.</a> </p>
<p>What's most interesting about this performance is the fact that <strong>A.,</strong> the normally Strat-happy Clapton is playing a beautiful Gibson Les Paul, just as he did on the original 1968 recording, and <strong>B.,</strong> the also-Strat-happy Harrison joins Clapton in the extended guitar solo at the end of the song (He does not solo on the original studio version). The two guitarists trade solos and feed off each other's energy, and their intertwining lines are often pretty damn cool.</p>
<p>Paul McCartney, another one of the five original musicians who appeared on the original Beatles recording (John Lennon is the fifth), would go on to perform "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj4J6i_vw0w">with Clapton and Starr in November 2002 at the Concert for George.</a> Harrison, Starr and Clapton also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8CivPhu0fw">performed the song live in 1971 at the Concert for Bangladesh.</a></p>
<p>Of course, for the closest thing to a full-on Beatles reunion, there's nothing quite like the mid-Nineties footage of McCartney, Harrison and Starr hanging out together during the making of <em>Anthology</em> (bottom video). </p>
<p>For studio recordings that come close to full reunions, check out Starr's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_vKu2xoJaM">"I'm the Greatest"</a> from 1973 (written by Lennon and featuring Lennon, Harrison, Starr and <em>Let It Be</em> keyboardist Billy Preston) and Harrison's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqNLL3-CToE">"All Those Years Ago"</a> from 1981 (featuring McCartney, Harrison and Starr).</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oDs2Bkq6UU4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ESv8e3Anjg8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p><em><a href="https://soundcloud.com/damian-fanelli/mister-neutron-comanchero-1">Damian Fanelli</a> is the online managing editor at </em>Guitar World<em> and </em><a href="http://www.guitaraficionado.com/">Guitar Aficionado</a><em>. His New York-based band, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Blue-Meanies/226938220688464?fref=ts">the Blue Meanies,</a> has toured the world and elsewhere. Fanelli, a former member of Brooklyn jump-blues/swing/rockabilly band <a href="http://www.thegashousegorillas.com/">the Gas House Gorillas</a> and New York City instrumental surf-rock band <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/MisterNeutron">Mister Neutron,</a> also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsQ9pIkLXiA">composes</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ICimc774Y">records film soundtracks.</a> He writes GuitarWorld.com's <a href="http://www.guitarworld.com/next-bend-clarence-white-inspired-country-b-bender-lick-video">The Next Bend</a> column, which is dedicated to <a href="http://www.guitarworld.com/next-bend-10-essential-b-bender-guitar-songs-damian-fanelli">B-bender guitars and guitarists.</a> His latest liner notes can be found in Sony/Legacy's </em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Epic-Recordings-Collection/dp/B00MJFQ24W">Stevie Ray Vaughan: The Complete Epic Recordings Collection.</a><em> Follow him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/damianfanelliguitar">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/damianfanelli">Twitter</a> and/or <a href="https://instagram.com/damianfanelligw/">Instagram.</a></em></p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/beatles">The Beatles</a> </div>
<div class="field-item even">
<a href="/eric-clapton">Eric Clapton</a> </div>
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/george-harrison">George Harrison</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/george-harrison-and-eric-clapton-play-while-my-guitar-gently-weeps-1987-video/25111#commentsDamian FanelliEric ClaptonGeorge HarrisonRingo StarrThe BeatlesVideosBlogsNewsFeaturesWed, 29 Jul 2015 13:44:44 +0000Damian Fanelli25111 at http://www.guitarworld.comLearn 16 Cheap Trick Classics, Note for Notehttp://www.guitarworld.com/new-book-learn-16-cheap-trick-classics-note-note
<!--paging_filter--><p>Learn 16 classics by Cheap Trick, courtesy of the new 96-page tab book, <em>Best of Cheap Trick</em>.</p>
<p>The book will teach you all of Rick Nielsen's guitar parts, note for note.</p>
<p>Songs include "Ain't That a Shame," "Day Tripper," "Dream Police," "The Flame," "Gonna Raise Hell," "I Want You to Want Me," "She's Tight," "Surrender," "Voices," "Woke Up With a Monster" and more.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://store.guitarworld.com/collections/mix-books/products/best-of-cheap-trick/?&amp;utm_source=gw_homepage&amp;utm_medium=daily_scroller&amp;utm_campaign=BestCheapTrick">This book is available now for $19.95 at the Guitar World Online Store.</a></strong></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/th370QmFtk8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/rick-nielsen">Rick Nielsen</a> </div>
<div class="field-item even">
<a href="/cheap-trick">Cheap Trick</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/new-book-learn-16-cheap-trick-classics-note-note#commentsCheap TrickRick NielsenNewsFeaturesWed, 29 Jul 2015 12:46:55 +0000Guitar World Staff16941 at http://www.guitarworld.comGuitar World Recommends: MXR Buffer Boost — Videohttp://www.guitarworld.com/guitar-world-recommends-mxr-buffer-boost-video/25108
<!--paging_filter--><p><em>Guitar World Recommends</em> shines the spotlight on new and noteworthy gear for guitarists. This week, <em>Guitar World</em> recommends the new Buffer Boost from Jim Dunlop and MXR. </p>
<p>This tiny little gadget makes up for signal loss that can occur when combining effects; it fine-tunes signal recovery with Hi &amp; Lo cut switches and features extra output for optional separate unbuffered signal chain. </p>
<p>For more about this handy piece of gear (and so much more), visit <a href="http://www.jimdunlop.com/">jimdunlop.com.</a></p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pKsr3YnZ00g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/guitar-world-recommends-mxr-buffer-boost-video/25108#commentsGuitar World RecommendsJim DunlopMXRVideosEffectsFeaturesGearTue, 28 Jul 2015 21:19:40 +0000Guitar World Staff25108 at http://www.guitarworld.com'SNL' Guitarist Jared Scharff Adds "Unnecessary Shredding" to "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift — Videohttp://www.guitarworld.com/snl-guitarist-jared-scharff-adds-unnecessary-shredding-blank-space-taylor-swift-video/25110
<!--paging_filter--><p><em><a href="http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live">Saturday Night Live</a></em> guitarist <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeP2X5pVHCRpYARTTg7jzrg">Jared Scharff</a> has a new web series called <em>Unnecessary Shredding.</em></p>
<p>In it, Scharff adds lots and lots of tasteful shredding to songs that are devoid of shredding—if not devoid of guitars, period.</p>
<p>In his latest video, posted to the interwebs July 28, Scharff adds some unnecessary shredding to "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift.</p>
<p>"I'm playing my custom Fano Pelham Blue burst JM6, which was made by Dennis Fano himself," Scharff says. "I was either using a Sixties Vox AC-30 or a Divide by 13 through an Analog Man Peppermint Fuzz."</p>
<p>Thoughts?</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zKjVkLfmJ14" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
http://www.guitarworld.com/snl-guitarist-jared-scharff-adds-unnecessary-shredding-blank-space-taylor-swift-video/25110#commentsJared ScharffTaylor SwiftUnnecessary ShreddingVideosBlogsFeaturesTue, 28 Jul 2015 20:58:51 +0000Damian Fanelli25110 at http://www.guitarworld.comEddie Van Halen Makes Elephant and Horse Sounds with His Guitar — Videohttp://www.guitarworld.com/eddie-van-halen-makes-elephant-and-horse-sounds-his-guitar-video/25109
<!--paging_filter--><p>Below, check out a clip that's being billed as "rare footage" of Eddie Van Halen making elephant and horse sounds with his guitar backstage at a venue, pre-concert.</p>
<p>I mean, how "rare" can it be if you're watching it right now?</p>
<p>Anyway, it was probably filmed by MTV around 1986 during Van Halen's <em>5150</em> tour.</p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
<p><iframe width="620" height="365" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZymMfp43aoM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/eddie-van-halen">Eddie Van Halen</a> </div>
<div class="field-item even">
<a href="/van-halen">Van Halen</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/eddie-van-halen-makes-elephant-and-horse-sounds-his-guitar-video/25109#commentsEddie Van HalenVan HalenWTFVideosBlogsFeaturesTue, 28 Jul 2015 18:12:06 +0000Damian Fanelli25109 at http://www.guitarworld.comQuick Lick: Metallica — "Ride the Lightning"http://www.guitarworld.com/quick-lick-metallica-ride-lightning
<!--paging_filter--><p><em>Quick Licks brings you short, bite-sized video lessons that show you how to play classic riffs from your favorite songs.</em></p>
<p>In the following video, <em>Guitar World</em>'s Matt Scharfglass shows you how to play the post-chorus riff to the title track off Metallica's sophomore album, <em>Ride the Lightning</em>.</p>
<p>Check it out below!</p>
<p>And while you're at it, you might enjoy <a href="http://www.guitarworld.com/metallicas-kirk-hammett-talks-ride-lightning-cliff-burton-and-benefits-taking-guitar-lessons-joe-satriani">Metallica's Kirk Hammett Talks 'Ride the Lightning,' Cliff Burton and Benefits of Taking Guitar Lessons from Joe Satriani.</a></p>
<!-- Start of Brightcove Player --><!-- Start of Brightcove Player --><div style="display:none">
</div>
<!--
By use of this code snippet, I agree to the Brightcove Publisher T and C
found at https://accounts.brightcove.com/en/terms-and-conditions/.
--><!--
By use of this code snippet, I agree to the Brightcove Publisher T and C
found at https://accounts.brightcove.com/en/terms-and-conditions/.
--><script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript" src="http://admin.brightcove.com/js/BrightcoveExperiences.js"></script><object id="myExperience1107825890001" class="BrightcoveExperience">
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<param name="width" value="620" />
<param name="height" value="348" />
<param name="playerID" value="798983031001" />
<param name="playerKey" value="AQ~~,AAAAj36EdAk~,0qwz1H1Ey92wZ6vLZcchClKTXdFbuP3P" />
<param name="isVid" value="true" />
<param name="isUI" value="true" />
<param name="dynamicStreaming" value="true" />
<param name="@videoPlayer" value="1107825890001" />
</object><!--
This script tag will cause the Brightcove Players defined above it to be created as soon
as the line is read by the browser. If you wish to have the player instantiated only after
the rest of the HTML is processed and the page load is complete, remove the line.
--><!--
This script tag will cause the Brightcove Players defined above it to be created as soon
as the line is read by the browser. If you wish to have the player instantiated only after
the rest of the HTML is processed and the page load is complete, remove the line.
--><script type="text/javascript">brightcove.createExperiences();</script><!-- End of Brightcove Player --><!-- End of Brightcove Player --><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<a href="/metallica">Metallica</a> </div>
</div>
</div>
</fieldset>
http://www.guitarworld.com/quick-lick-metallica-ride-lightning#commentsBig FourMetallicaRide the LightningVideosFeaturesLessonsTue, 28 Jul 2015 17:38:43 +0000Matt Scharfglass12600 at http://www.guitarworld.com